Bar Council says sanctions against ICC officials risk undermining judicial independence
ICC sanctions concerns have been raised by the Bar Council of England and Wales after the Trump administration announced new sanctions against the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and a senior lawyer in its Office of the Prosecutor.
In a statement published on 21 August 2026, the Bar Council said it was “deeply concerned” by the further sanctions imposed on the ICC officials.
Kirsty Brimelow KC, Chair of the Bar Council, said the independence of judges and prosecutors is a fundamental principle of the rule of law. She said sanctions directed at individuals because of their work in an independent judicial institution risk undermining that independence and obstructing the administration of justice.
The Bar Council also said that people who are most vulnerable and those suffering the worst atrocities are affected when access to the ICC is subject to political interference.
Its statement acknowledged that there can be disagreement over the jurisdiction and decisions of international courts. However, the Bar Council said such disagreements should be addressed through legal and, where appropriate, diplomatic channels.
It argued that measures targeting individuals responsible for judicial and prosecutorial functions are not the appropriate way to address those disagreements.
For solicitors and other legal professionals, the practice-relevant point from the statement is the Bar Council’s emphasis on the independence of courts, judges, prosecutors and lawyers as part of the rule of law. The statement does not announce a new professional rule, compliance requirement or change to solicitors’ duties. Instead, it sets out the Bar Council’s position that judicial and prosecutorial functions should be carried out independently and without political interference.
The Bar Council said the ability of independent courts and the lawyers and judges who serve them to perform their duties without fear or favour is particularly important at a time when respect for international law is under considerable strain.
Brimelow said the independence of judicial institutions must be protected even where there is disagreement about their jurisdiction or decisions. The Bar Council’s position is that legal and diplomatic channels should be used to address those disagreements rather than measures directed at people carrying out judicial or prosecutorial functions.
The statement focused specifically on the implications of the sanctions for judicial independence, the administration of justice and access to the ICC. It did not set out any additional sanctions, legal proceedings or regulatory measures affecting solicitors in England and Wales.
The Bar Council also provided a link to a statement from the ICC titled “The ICC strongly rejects new US sanctions designations”, allowing readers to access the court’s response alongside the Bar Council’s position.
The Bar Council’s statement was published under its international and safety topics on 21 August 2026.